Sauce

1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

Drain the pineapple, reserve the juice and set aside. Place the vegetables, except the broccoli, in a large pot or wok with 1/2 cup of the water and the garlic and ginger. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and the remaining 1/2 cup water. Stir, then cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Combine the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir in the pineapple chunks and the sauce mixture. Cook, stirring until thickened. kwvegan vegan

Fragrant-Eggplant

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

4 tbl soy sauce

1 tbl cornstarch

3 tbl sugar

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp crushed dried red pepper

6 slices ginger, about the size and thickness of a quarter

4 scallions, chopped, separate white and green parts

Directions

1. Cut stem end off eggplant. Dice eggplant into small cubes. Sprinkle eggplant with salt and place in a colander to drain. Let sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid out as possible.

2. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and water.

3. Heat 1 tbl dry sherry in a large skillet or wok. Add red peppers and stir. Add ginger, white part of scallion. Stir fry briefly until ginger becomes fragrant. Add the squeezed eggplant and saute approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is thoroughly cooked. You shouldn’t have any trouble with sticking because the eggplant still has a bit of moisture in it but if it does, add a little bit of water or sherry.

4. Add soy sauce mixture and cook over high heat until most of the liquid is evaporated and eggplant is thoroughly coated with reduced sauce – about 5 minutes.

Directions

In a large pan, bring the vegetable stock to the boil and stir in the Pepper sauce. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring well until the mushrooms are just cooked but still al dente. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Sweet & Sour Tofu Salad

Ingredients

2tbsp vegetable oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

500 g/1lb tofu (bean curd),cubed

1 onion, sliced

1 carrot, cut into julienne strips

1 stick celery, sliced

2 small red (bell) peppers, cored, seeded and sliced

250 g/8oz mangetout (snowpeas),trimmed and halved

125 g/4oz broccoli, trimmed and divided into florets

125g/4oz thin green beans, halved

2tbsp sweet soy sauce

1tbsp tamarind concentrate

1tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp tomato puree

1tbsp light soy sauce

1tbsp chilli sauce

2tbsp sugar

1tbsp white vinegar

pinch of ground star anise

1tsp cornflour

300ml cups water

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan or wok until hot. Add the curshed garlic and cook for a few seconds.

Add the tofu in baches and stir-fry over a gentle heat, until golden on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Add the onion, corrot, celery, red pepper, mangetout, broccoli and green beans to the pan and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes or until tender-crisp.

Directions

Fill a large bowl with water mixed with the juice of 1 lemon. Set aside.

Remove the tough outer layer of the banana blossom and discard it, along with the undeveloped “baby” bananas inside. Carefully pull away the next several layers of leaves, regularly cutting into the stem to make it easier to break them off (the aim is to keep the leaves whole if possible). Lay several leaves on top of one another and slice the leaves crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips. To keep the leaved from turning black, place sliced leaves in the acidulated water, turning occassionally.

Continue in this fashion, releasing the leaves discarding the undeveloped bananas and cutting the leaves into strips, until you reach the “heart.” Cut this center in half lengthwise, remove as many”babies” as possible, and slice the remaining leaves widthwise about 1/4-inch thick.

In a medium saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the chicken breastm return to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the meat is tender.

Remove the chicken from the pan and let cool slightly, then shred the meat with your fingers.

In a large salad bowl, toss all the vegetables, mint and basil together with the chicken. Setting aside a handful for garnish, mix in the ground peanuts. Add dressing and toss. Sprinkle with the remaining peanuts and serve immediately.

ROASTED PEANUTS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put raw peanuts in a shallow pan and bake, stirring occassionally to ensure even roasting , until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool. When the nuts are cold, grind them with mortar and pestle.

DRESSING FOR SALAD In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Set aside and allow to cool.

Pound the garlice and shallot into small pieces with a mortar and pestle; or grind in a food processor. Stir into sugar water, then add the remaining ingredients.